Back from PI!!

[Sixguns]

Welcome to the brotherhood!!!

Wear your colors proudly.

Semper Fi,


SIXGUNS

[Cuelocks]

Aye FirstSgt. I do owe it to the next bunch of recruits planning to leave to give them the insight that I recieved. We did have some crazys in our platoon that tried to kill themselves or one girl tried to run out of the hatch during rack time...but I always thought to myself "the fastest way off the Island is to graduate." Even though there were so many days when I felt like I didn't want to do it anymore...you just tell yourself "just make it to the next chow time." And you do, you make it to the next chow and the next chow, etc. Then you get up the next morning and do it all over again. Its hard to be treated like sh*t everyday and to be counted down with everything you do...or to get back and do it again, or to be louder when you felt like you screamed so hard your veins were gonna pop. But when you get to the end and you graduate...it is the best feeling in the entire world...can't even describe it. Suddenly all the sounding off, all the getting back, all the quarterdecking, all the sweat and pain...etc. its all worth it...all of it!
JChristin, thanks for being proud of me...I intend to work hard to carry on a legacy of females Marines that are dedicated and serious. I know what you are talking about with the girls that flirt...I saw it even in bootcamp. Our whole platoon got pitted and quarterdecked for a few girls that wanted to chat with the male recruits in church. I wanted to punch those girls, but even though there were some that I didn't like...there came a point when I realized that if someone ever tried to mess with them in the outside world, I'd have their back in a second. Thats when I think you wake up and recognize the family that the Marine Corps really is. Its hard for me to explain this to people that are not Marines.
Poolee Sullivan, I was a guaranteed PFC before I left for bootcamp because I had college credits (its called a chevron, not a stripe). You only need 15 college credits to be a PFC. There were a few people in my platoon that were meritoriously promoted to PFC before the end of bootcamp. To be promoted like that you have to be a recruit that stands out in a positive way. The recruits that were promoted generally volunteered a lot and demonstrated that they were dependable by carrying out tasks completely and doing a good job, they had good common sense, they were motivators and helped other recruits out. Generally they were unselfish and would put the other recruits ahead of themselves. It was obvious that they pushed themselves in PT. Pretty much they were good, well rounded recruits. The honor grad. in our platoon was promoted to a Lance Corporal because she came in as a guaranteed PFC. So if you make honor grad. in your platoon and you come in as a PFC then you could be a LNCPL too. Push yourself in bootcamp. I wish that I had pushed myself more than I did. My goal in bootcamp was to make it through so I didn't really volunteer for stuff as much as I could've...I was the recruit that didn't really stand out...I never did anything wrong, I was always on line when I was supposed to be, etc. Its not a bad thing and I was a good recruit but I know I could've been better. Hey feel free to ask as many questions as you want to. I'm fresh out of recruit training so I can tell you exactly what its gonna be like. I'm leaving on Monday for MCT in North Carolina so I'll try to answer back before I leave.
Take care and Semper Fi to all my fellow Marines!

PFC Andersen

[firstsgtmike]

PFC Anderson, (Cuelocks)

"but even though there were some that I didn't like...there came a point when I realized that if someone ever tried to mess with them in the outside world, I'd have their back in a second. Thats when I think you wake up and recognize the family that the Marine Corps really is. Its hard for me to explain this to people that are not Marines."

If you ever learn how to explain Semper Fi to a civilian, please teach ME!

[Red Dragon]

Congrats on your graduating from Boot Camp. Welcome to the Brother/Sister Hood. You have earned the title of United States Marine, wear it Proudly. You have passed you first major hurtley, there will be many more down the road, take each one as they come, remembering that you are a Marine.

Do what your heart tells you, don't listen to the Sea Lawyers and BS artists that you will run into and have already ssen and heard from them.

Congrats Again and Semper Fi,

Red Dragon aka HL

[leroy8541]

Semper Fi PFC, congratulation, and welcome to the Corps. OOOORAH ,Job well done, now keep up the hard work.